The present disclosure relates to a display device including a process key, and more particularly, to a process key with an improved recognition rate in a display device implementing a narrow bezel. The feature of the present disclosure is such that a process key is divided into and formed as a first key pattern made of a metal material and a second key pattern made of a black matrix material, and the process key is positioned in a green pixel area in which a green color filter pattern is provided among pixels positioned at outermost peripheries corresponding to four corners of an active area of a display panel such that a narrow bezel can be implemented and a recognition rate of the process key can also be improved. Consequently, the display panel can be accurately aligned with manufacturing equipment or other objects such that a process defect can be minimized and process efficiency cab also be improved. Further, the process key can be recognized from both upper and lower sides of the display panel so that the process can be improved.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A display device comprising: a first substrate having an active area displaying an image and a non-active area along an edge of the active area; a second substrate facing the first substrate; and a process key including a first key pattern disposed on the first substrate in a corner of the active area, wherein the first key pattern is disposed on the first substrate, wherein the active area includes a plurality of pixel areas defined by a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines crossing vertically and horizontally, wherein the plurality of pixel areas include a green pixel area, and wherein the process key overlaps with the green pixel area, and wherein the process key is configured to be detectable at both upper and lower sides of the first substrate and the second substrate.
2. The display device of claim 1 , further comprising thin film transistors for operating pixels in the active area to display an image, wherein the process key is for aligning the first substrate or the display device during a manufacturing process.
3. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the first substrate is attached to the second substrate with a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.
4. The display device of claim 2 , wherein the thin film transistors form part of light emitting diodes, and one side of the first substrate is encapsulated by the second substrate.
5. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the active area of the first substrate further includes a red pixel area corresponding to a red color filter pattern and a blue pixel area corresponding to a blue color filter pattern, and wherein the green pixel area corresponds to a green color filter pattern.
6. The display device of claim 5 , wherein the first substrate comprises: a thin film transistor including a gate electrode, gate and data lines, a semiconductor layer, and source and drain electrodes, wherein the first key pattern is formed of a material the same as those of the gate electrode and the plurality of gate lines in the same layer.
7. The display device of claim 5 , wherein the process key overlaps the green color filter pattern.
8. The display device of claim 5 , wherein an actual pattern is positioned in the non-active area, and the process key is positioned in the green pixel area secondarily adjacent to the actual pattern.
9. The display device of claim 1 , wherein the process key includes a second key pattern made of a material different from that of the first key pattern.
10. The display device of claim 9 , wherein: the first key pattern is made of at least one selected from among “+,” “−,” “L,” “O,” and “T” shapes; and the second key pattern is formed in a shape the same as that of the first key pattern along an edge of the second key pattern, or is formed in a closed curve shape or a closed polygonal shape surrounding the first key pattern.
11. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the first key pattern and the second key pattern form a single shape.
12. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the second key pattern has a shape corresponding to only a portion of the edge of the first key pattern.
13. The display device of claim 9 , wherein the second key pattern is formed in a shape the same as that of the first key pattern, or the second key pattern is formed in a shape different from that of the first key pattern and is placed within an interior of the first key pattern.
14. The display device of claim 9 , further comprising a black matrix in the second substrate, wherein the second key pattern is formed of the same material in the same layer as the black matrix.
15. The display device of claim 9 , further comprising a light blocking layer below thin film transistors in the first substrate, wherein the light blocking layer and the second key pattern are made of a same black pigment and formed in the same layer.
16. A display device comprising: a first substrate having an active area displaying an image and a non-active area along an edge of the active area; a second substrate facing the first substrate; a process key including a first key pattern and a second key pattern, the first key pattern disposed on the first substrate in a corner of the active area; and a light blocking layer disposed between the first substrate and at least a part of a thin film transistor, wherein a material of the second key pattern is different from a material of the first key pattern, wherein the light blocking layer and the second key pattern have a same black pigment and wherein the process key is configured to be detectable at both upper and lower sides of the first substrate and the second substrate.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
October 3, 2018
March 23, 2021
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